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BILLIONS WASTED

Kevin Rudd’s vaunted Digital Education Revolution scheme was in place for some five years, the Commonwealth government spending billions to provide almost a million laptop computers for secondary students. Despite, or perhaps because of, the massive expenditure, the educational performance of Australian students did not improve.

In the heart of Silicon Valley is a nine-classroom school where employees of tech giants Google, Apple and Yahoo send their children. But despite its location in America’s digital centre, there is not an iPad, smartphone or screen in sight.

But the fact that parents working for pioneering technology companies are questioning the value of computers in education begs the question – is the futuristic dream of high-tech classrooms really in the best interests of the next generation?

Finnish students and teachers didn’t need laptops and iPads to get to the top of international education rankings, said Krista Kiuru, minister of education and science at the Finnish Parliament. And officials say they aren’t interested in using them to stay there.

Sadly, Australian students can complete high school unable to properly, read, write and accomplish basic arithmetic. Such is the brave new world of leftist-dominated education.